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Old May 5, 2015   #56
KarenO
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Vancouver Island
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Quote:
Originally Posted by efisakov View Post
Karen, how do you prevent them from blooming to early? Some of my started to. I grew few for the March planting in the small greenhouse. The weather was to cold, we had to push planting time to April. Seedlings became to big, some started blooming.
If they bloom, it's because they are ready to, not because they are stressed. I want big blooming seedlings, goes against common wisdom, I know but it is my way and it works for me. My philosophy is that a healthy plant will do what it wants to and I will let it. Having a greenhouse helps a great deal to give them the warmth and good light they need as opposed to lights in the house so that's a big plus.

I intend to minimise pruning, other interference and just provide as optimal conditions as I can and let them do their thing. This way, I can see their true habit and select for the characteristics I want. A few are budding out and that early blooming trait is something I want and so the first bloomers will be marked and that is a point in their favour as I am trying to grow large tomatoes that are early enough to produce well in a Northern garden. It has been my experience that it is OK to grow seedlings quite large , even blooming or with a few fruit set as long as you have room and also that you harden them off properly and wait until it is reliably warm to plant them in their final location.

KarenO
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